Aftermath of winter blizzard delaying Winnipeg EMS calls

Winnipeg firefighters and paramedics are having a hard time responding to emergency calls in the aftermath of a Christmas Day blizzard that continued into Boxing Day.

The City of Winnipeg said Tuesday poor road conditions caused by the storm, which dumped about 25 centimetres of snow on the city, werecausing emergency crews to have longer response times.

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The city said public works crews are on standby to help firefighters and paramedics if needed.

A spokeswoman for the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Unionsaid the recent storm has been a "true test" for paramedics in the province.

"We have heard of ambulances getting stuck both in the city and outside the city. The fact is, is when someone calls 911, our paramedics are dispatched even if there is a blizzard," Mason wrote in an email to CBC News.

The City of Winnipegdeclared a residential parking ban Tuesday. City crews will start clearing residential streets on Wednesday that haven't yet been cleared.